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Evolving work from Oklahoma artists greets audiences at 'Art 365'

John Brandenburg
Special to The Oklahoman
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition's "Art 365" exhibit continues through Sept. 18 at Artspace at Untitled.

A $12,000 honorarium for a year's work, drew some intriguing responses from state artists in the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition's "Art 365" exhibit.

Curated by Grace Deveney, of New Orleans, the show runs through Sept. 18 at Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE 3, after closing Aug. 6 at Living Arts of Tulsa.

Deveney, who connected virtually with all the artists selected, said she was impressed with the way their projects evolved over the past year.

Greeting us is a joint exploration of their identities as "Urban Indians" by Norman printmaker Marwin Begaye and Oklahoma City dancer Maggie Boyett. Begaye simplifies bold decorative patterns in his ink and pigment prints and costume fabrics, while expressive gestures make Boyett's video-taped "Fragmentation" dance memorable.

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Titled in charcoal, photos by Stillwater artist Mirella Martinez, who was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at a young age, cover one large wall of the gallery space.

Less challenging yet quietly satisfying are the acrylic, watercolor and glitter paintings on wood from the "Silver Lake" series of Edmond artist Ginnie Baer. Semi-abstract, yet suggesting magical landscapes, Baer's dozen works succeed in offering us "respite from the pain, loss, grief, and sadness we all experience."

There is lowkey celebration, too, in the sky and landscape photos of Stillwater artist Mirella Martinez, as well as in her pictures of Latino and Mexican-American people in "Payne" (County). Naively titled in charcoal, the photos by Martinez, who was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at a young age, cover one large wall of the gallery space.

Tulsa artist Naima Lowe assembled "4,753 pieces of construction hardware in 97 sets resembling necklaces or key rings, hung on brightly colored paracord ... held together by ... bungee cord" for her art project.

"A token is a stand-in for something of value," Lowe, who started a retail design shop in 2020, said of her unusual "Sum Total" installation, labeled with dangling tags.

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Tulsa artist Naima Lowe assembled pieces of construction hardware in sets resembling necklaces or key rings, hung on brightly colored paracord held together by bungee cord.

In "Hi, Hi, Hi, Highway," Crystal Z. Campbell combines projected imagery (including a revolving black-and-white pattern) with big striped banners and sound recordings like those of a highway being built (by performers).

"I am working with this section of the highway that splits Greenwood (the district where the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 took place and she lived at one time)," Campbell, an Oklahoma City artist, said of the piece.

"These performers play the highway like a song, activating the space with sonic graffiti," Campbell added concerning her provocative, thought-provoking, multi-media work.

The exhibit, open free to the public, is highly recommended during its run. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Call 405-815-9995 or go to http://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/V9aaCrkqLRCrj27RVh796tL?domain=1ne3.org for information.